Supplemental Caregivers Key for Hospice Care
After battling breast cancer for well over two years, my aunt was told by her doctors that not much more could be done and the focus of her care would shift from treatment to management. My family reluctantly arranged in-home hospice care for her, but with my uncle working overtime to feed their two children and pay for her mounting medical bills, it soon became obvious that they needed
more support. According to the
National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, it is typical for a family member to serve as the primary caregiver to supplement regular visits from hospice staff. So what happens when family members are thousands of miles away? Such was the case with my aunt and her family.
Millions of people receive hospice care each year, and I can't even begin to imagine how many of these families must be going through the same things my family experienced. When family caregivers can't be with their ill loved one due to work or simply because they are exhausted and need a break, families need to know that they have options. As you can imagine, the importance of ensuring that my aunt was being taken care of outside of hospice visits was insurmountable. She had been such a trooper through the seemingly endless number of hours of treatment; it broke our hearts that my uncle had to feel as though he was choosing between my aunt and paying the bills each time he left for work.
When we were able to arrange for a supplemental caregiver to be with my aunt when hospice left-to help her, to spend time with her, to ensure she was comfortable-a weight was lifted from our shoulders. While it didn't change the fact that we were thousands of miles apart, we found some solace in knowing that she was being cared for, even when other members of my family were not able to be with her.